Taking care of a yard is hard work. Through talking with various people, my husband discovered he missed the early Spring season to prevent the dandelions & other weeds from attacking our yard. He’d mow the yard, and the next day, yellow and white “flowers” would pop up everywhere.
He was told by several people, “You’ve missed your chance, it’s too late”. Here’s the thing I’ve come to know, love, and be cautious about with my husband: If you throw an obstacle in his way, he’ll still keep charging.
After a trip to the local hardware store, he finds out that it’s not too late, he can pick up with a mid-season treatment. And he did just that this weekend. Guess what? NO WEEDS!
Can you wait too long to start working on yourself?
Often times I hear clients say, “We should have done this years ago, we waited too long to save our marriage” or even ask, “Can I truly become a healthy person after all this time?”. Yes! I don’t ever believe it’s too late for anyone. If you are open to work and willing to change, I believe anything can happen.
What weeds are in your life?
What are the dandelions and crabgrass in your life? Is it being critical or bitter? An addiction? An affair? Depression or Anxiety? Maybe it’s grief or job dissatisfaction. Whatever your “weed” is, we all have them. Are you ready to start treating your yard (life/marriage)?
How do you start?
Just as my husband became frustrated with the way our yard looked, so do you have to become fed up with the weeds in your life or marriage. You have to be “sick & tired” of being “sick” and “tired”.
Next, you have to ask for help. Just as we headed to the hardware store for answers, so do you have to look for help. Maybe that’s a therapist, minister, friend, nutritionist or job coach. If you find non-encouraging people, stay strong! Don’t let that stop you. Trust your gut, don’t listen to the negative feedback.
Then, you have to do the work. You have to do the manual labor. It’s not a one-time thing either. Treating the yard may have been done this past weekend, but it’s something my husband will have to stay adamant about. Same applies to life. Getting help will require consistent work. But, you’ll have a beautiful “yard” at the end of it!
Whether your weeds are just sprouting or have been around for several years, there is hope. Good luck to each of you in your various yard work!
Written by: Tamara Wilhelm MA, LMHC
*Tamara enjoys doing marriage counseling, individual counseling, & couples counselingat Imagine Hope. We also specialize in family counseling, child & adolescent counseling. Imagine Hope serves the Indianapolis area, including the surrounding areas of Carmel, Noblesville, Zionsville, Westfield & Fishers.
